Seat



June 16, 1936. F. B. MQELMOYL SEAT Filed March 17, 1936 w W m w m v Array/av I Patented June 16 1936 FATE OFFICE sEA'r Frank B. McElmoyl, Groveville, N. assignor to W. J. McEimoyl & 00.. Inc.. Groveviiie, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 17, 1936, Serial No. 69,252

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a seat, particularly one functioning as a back-rest for beach or similar use, andwhich also may be used as a bag for the carrying of various articles as, for example, beach accessories or the like.

' It is very tiring to sit upright on a fiat surface such as a beach hr the ground in general, or in bed, without some support for the back. It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a seat which will function as a back support for use on the beach or otherwise where such support is desirable when a person desires to sit on a more or less flat surface. The invention is also adapted for use for supporting the back when a person desires to sit up in bed and in the latter case is particularly adapted to convalescents who may wish to sit up and read.

It is a further object of the inventionto provide, in combination, a seat of the character outlined above which may also be used as a bag for carrying various articles. This feature of the invention is particularly desirable when the seat is to be used on the beach or at picnics or the like. The seat is quite light and when in folded condition functioning as a bag is no larger than a conventional shopping bag.

The above and other objects relating to details of construction will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the improved seat in folded position and arranged to function as a bag; I Fig. 2 is a perspective view indicating the mode of use of the seat as such for supporting the back;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the seat;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the frame members;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the plane indicated at 5-5 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the plane indicated at 6-6 in Fig. 3.

The seat comprises two U-shaped frames 2 formed of-resilient metal such as spring steel rod or tubing. Each of these frames comprises two side members and a connecting member, the side members preferably making approximately right angles with the connecting member, though if desired the side members may diverge outwardly. In order to provide an inexpensive construction, the side members may be unfinished at their ends, which may have been sheared, and these ends are .then capped .by rubber members indicated at 4 to prevent cutting of the covering fabric.

The two U-shaped frames may be hinged to each other in various ways. A very inexpensive hinge may be provided by merely enclosing the connecting members extending in lengthwise juxtaposition with each other within a canvas tube 5 closed by stitching, as indicated at 6-. There is no necessity for any accurate hinging arrangement and it has been found that the use of the fabric tube is perfectly satisfactory. Alternatively, of course, various other methods of hinging the members may be used. For example, prior to being bent to U-shape they may be located within metallic tubing. The fabric tube is desirable, however, since there are presented by it no rough edges which would cause wear upon the covering fabric. The two frames are covered by a canvas or other fabric member indicated at 8, which extends about the junction of the two frames and is connected to the side members by inclusion of them within stitched folds indicated at in. The free ends of' the fabric cover 8 are turned over and stitched as indicated at E2, the whole arrangement being such that the ends are stretched by the free ends of the side members of the frames. The ends of the cover, however, are not stiffened and may be flexed outwardly with attendant inward yielding of the resilient side members of the frames. I

Outward separation of the frames is limited by means of fabric side members indicated at it which are preferably stitched to the side edges of the cover member 8 as indicated in the drawing, preferably embracing the side members of the frames. One or both of these side members may be provided with pockets I6 which. when the seat is in use as in Fig. 2, open upwardly in a direction bisecting the bottom and back portions of the seat. Such pockets are useful to carry cigarettes or the like. I

The side members i i are continuousli joined by stitching about the side edges of the cover so as to form a bag, as indicated in Fig. 1, in which articles may be retained. In order that the article may be conveniently used as a bag, handles l8 may be stitched to the free edges of the cover 8. By permitting the side members I4 to extend outwardly,'a bag of quite considerable capacity is provided. On the other hand, if it is merely desired to carry the device with nothing or but a few articles in it, the members It may be folded inwardly and then the device will present 9. rectangular appearance and will be no larger than a conventional flattened shopping bag.

The use of the device as a seat is indicated in Fig. 2. It has been found that the side members should be so arranged that when the device is extended to be used as a seat the frames are restrained from making an angle with each other somewhat less than ninety degrees. It has been found that an angle of approximately eighty degrees is desirable, particularly since under some atmospheric conditions and after considerable use an appreciable stretching of the side members I may take place to widen this angle to about ninety degrees or more. This angle, however, does not determine the effective angle between the bottom and back portions of the seat which is provided. When used as indicated in Fig. 2, being placed, for example, on hard ground or in sand, a comfortable position is achieved when the back slopes slightly backwardly and the lower frame is raised slightly from the ground. Additional increase of the effective angle occurs due to the fact that both the bottom and back portions are flexed outwardly as indicated at 20 and 22 by engagement with the back and legs respectively, with an attendant inward flexing of the side members of the frames. ,The cover 8 conforms very comfortably with the body and provides a support for the back with no uncomfortable pressure whatever on the legs. It is obvious, of course, that the body may be rocked backwardly or forwardly to any comfortable position merely by permitting a greater or less rise in the free edge of the bottom portion of the cover.

It may be noted that the structure is symmetrical so that either frame may be used as the bottom one.

For beach or other outdoor use, the canvas may, of course, be suitably decorated. On the other hand, for hospital use white canvas or other fabric may be used.

It will be clear that numerous variations may be made in details of construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. I

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a pair of resilient U-shaped frames, each comprising two side members and a connecting member joining said side members, a tube receiving said connecting members and holding them in lengthwise juxtaposition so that the frames may pivot relatively to each other, a cover carried by the side members of the frames and having its ends unstiifened between the free ends of said side members, and fabric side members extending between side members of the frames and restraining said frames from making more than a right angle with each other, said side members of the frames yielding inwardly when the central portions of the free edges of the cover are flexed outwardly.

2. In combination, a pair of U-shaped frames, each comprising two side members and a connecting member joining said side members, a tube receiving said connecting members and hold ing them in lengthwise juxtaposition so that the frames may pivot relatively to each other, a cover carried by the side members of the frames and having its ends unstiifened between the free ends of said side members, and. fabric side members extending between side members of the frames and restraining said frames from making more than a right angle with each other.

3. In combination, a pair of U-frames, each comprising two side members and a connecting member joining said side members, means pivotally connecting said connecting members in proximity to each other and providing a fabric connection between the side members of each of said frames, and flexible side elements extending between the side members of the frames and restraining said frames from more than predetermined outward pivotal movements relative to each other.

4. In combination, a pair of U-shaped frames of flexible material, each comprising two side members and a connecting member joining said side members, means pivotally connecting said connecting members in proximity to each other and providing a fabric connection between the side members of each of said frames, and flexible side elements extending between the side members of the frames and restraining said frames from more than predetermined outward pivotal movements relative to each other.

FRANK B. MOELMOYL. 

